Discovery of WWI British warship HMS Hawke off the Scottish coast
The BBC Scotland station reported the discovery of the wreck of the British warship HMS Hawke, which was sunk by a German U-boat during World War I.
The wreck of HMS Hawke was located on August 12. It rested at a depth of approximately 110 meters off the coast of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Divers from the group Lost in Waters Deep are credited with the discovery.
The wreck of HMS Hawke found
HMS Hawke was a ship that participated in battles during World War I. In October 1914, it was attacked by one of the German U-boats, U-9. As a result of the hit, HMS Hawke caught fire and then, after an explosion, sank to the bottom. In addition to the ship, the British lost over 500 crew members of HMS Hawke that day.
According to the divers' reports, the wreck of HMS Hawke is in "remarkable" condition. During preliminary inspections, they noticed not only items such as cups and plates but even remnants of weapons and navigational equipment.
"You can look into the portholes and see rooms with artifacts - teacups, bowls, and plates just there on the floor. It took years of research, but the actual time on the ground was just a few hours," diver Steve Mortimer told BBC Scotland.
British warship from World War I
According to BBC Scotland, the Royal Navy is expected to formally identify the find shortly (within a few weeks).
HMS Hawke was classified as an Edgar-class armoured cruiser. It measured 118 meters long and almost 20 meters wide, with a draft exceeding 7 meters. It could reach speeds of up to 37 km/h.
Its main armament consisted of two 234 mm guns and as many as ten 152 mm guns. Additionally, it was equipped with 57 mm and 47 mm guns and four 450 mm torpedo tubes. During World War I, HMS Hawke served as part of the 10th Cruiser Squadron.
